Escaping Taris
by Rarecase
Summary: KotOR LSF.A "behind the scenes" look at what happens on Taris. The main plot is still there, but it's got all that fun stuff you don't get in the game. I had originally planned on finishing this, but life caught up with me. Sorry, guys.
1. For Force sakes

**Chapter 1 -- For Force sakes.**

BOOM. A loud explosion came from the _Endar Spire_, waking one of it's passengers from her sleep. The passenger moaned, stuck her face in her pillow, and pulled her covers over her head. Another explosion, louder this time, sounded and rocked the entire ship; this caused the woman to fall out of her bed. Her head hit the floor painfully; she moaned again and slumped onto the floor.

"Frack," The woman mumbled, pulling the blankets from her bed down to the floor to cover herself.

The passenger stayed that way for a while, fighting her headache and trying to ignore the explosions and the rocking of the ship. She just wanted to sleep. Just when she was about to succeed, however, the door opened and a Republic soldier ran inside. The soldier looked about wildly, breathing heavily, as though searching for something. When he saw the woman on the floor, his eyes widened in surprise and he cried out.

"Are you okay?!" he said frantically, running towards her and pulling off the blankets. "I didn't think that the Sith had gotten here yet. What happened?"

The passenger moaned, closed her eyes tighter, then opened them slowly.

"I'm _trying_ to sleep," she said angrily, though her voice was groggy. She got up, her hand on her head, and said, "What the hell are you talking about? There are no Sith on this ship."

"Where have you been? We've been ambushed by a Sith battle fleet! The_ Endar Spire_ is under attack!"

"... Sith? We're under attack?" the woman asked absently. In her mind, she was still asleep. "I guess I should get geared up then..."

She walked over to her footlocker and quickly proceeded to get dressed. Out of respect for her privacy, the soldier turned around, then started to explain what needed to get done.

"We have to find Bastila!" his voice came out slowly at first, then with more determination and resolve as he reminded himself of his oath and his responsibilities. "We have to make sure she makes it off the ship alive!"

"Who's Bastila?" the woman asked, her voice muffled by her shirt.

As the soldier explained that Bastila was the commanding officer on the _Endar Spire_, the woman continued to gear up. She wore a tan, long-sleeved shirt; a black vest had been hastily put over-top. Her pants were brown, rolled up to reveal knee-high, black boots. She followed by quickly pulling her hair into a ponytail, not bothering with pins. Rummaging through her footlocker, she pulled out her blaster pistol and put it into a holster on her hip. To finish, she pulled out a short sword; it hung from her right hand as she swung it back and forth.

"I'm ready."

As the soldier turned around, the woman got a better look at him. His blond hair was cut very short, and he was wearing a red Republic uniform. Though the red armor didn't allow her to see much, she could tell that the man was well-built; he filled his armor out well. The soldier's eyes shone of fear, but behind it was a fierce determination; a patriotic will to do whatever was needed for the Republic. _The Republic needs more people like him,_ the woman thought sadly.

As he turned around, the soldier was surprised at the change within the passenger. She was no longer sleepy or irritable, and her posture seemed to be staighter, more confident. Her eyes shone with a fierceness, an aggressive will to do whatever was needed to be done, for her or her companions. As the soldier decided that she seemed fully ready for the task at hand, he also decided that he _never_ wanted to get on the wrong side of her. _Maybe the stories about her are right..._ he thought with resolve.

The woman walked towards him, sheathing her sword, and extended her hand towards him. "My name is Nacina Cral, but my friends call me Nace."

The soldier shook her hand back. "I'm Trask Ulgo, ensign with the Republic Fleet."

Nace nodded, then pulled out her sword again; as she did, she swung it around her hand, making a circular motion. "Let's go save Bastila."

Trask nodded, and pulled out a blaster. As Nace moved to walk out the door, he said, "I heard what everyone's saying about you: you've explored the farthest reaches of the galaxy, you've visited planets I've never even heard of. Is that true?"

Nace stopped. With her back to his face, she replied, "Yeah, it's true."

"You must have a lot of stories."

Nace turned around and said softly, "I do, but now's not the time." Then, with more resolve, as if remembering where she was and what she had to do, she said, "I'll tell you some stories if we ever get out of this. Now, let's go."

Trask nodded and followed her out the door, ready to confront any Sith in their way.

* * *

"Here's the bridge," Trask said, chest heaving from the many battles they had fought to get here. "If Bastila is on the ship, she's here."

Nace nodded, too tired to say anything. Her chest was heaving as well; their battles with the Sith had taken a lot out of her. She hadn't fought this way since... Well, for a long time.

"Cover me," she ordered, then opened the bridge door.

She was instantly swarmed by two Sith soldiers, both wielding blades, like her. She fought desperately with what little strength and energy she had left, blocking and parrying, dealing crippling blows to each soldier. She could hear Trask shooting behind her, trying to get some shots in without shooting her in the process. After what seemed like an eternity of blow after blow, one of the Sith fell to Trask's blaster, allowing her to deal the final strike to the remaining Sith.

"Medpac," Nace panted, chest heaving up and down, up and down. She felt so exhausted, all she wanted to do was rest. Trask grimly handed her a medpac, concern etched onto his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Nace simply nodded, jamming the medicine into her thigh. She leaned against a wall, letting the pack do its business.

Grimly and reluctantly turning back to the matter at hand, Trask said, "Bastila's not here on the bridge -- they must have retreated to the escape pods. We better head that way too. "

Nace simply nodded again, too out of breath to speak.

Seeing that she wouldn't provide any input, Trask continued. "The Sith want Bastila alive, but once she's off the ship there's nothing stopping them from blasting _The Endar Spire_ into galactic dust!"

"Let's keep going then," Nace replied; she had retrieved some of her breath.

The two continued their trek through the ship for a while, without meeting anymore Sith. Other than the explosions outside, the ship seemed empty, and very quiet. _Too quiet,_ Nace thought uneasily. Then, without warning, she was overcome with a sense of foreboding, so strong it made her stagger and fall to the ground. Trask was dutifully by her side in a flash, kneeling on the floor and lifting her head up off the ground. He was about to ask her if she was okay when a sound came from the door beyond.

Trask looked up; Nace could see that hardened determination again. "There's something behind here," He said, leaving Nace and running to the door.

Nace tried to get up and follow him, but her head swam with such pain and light-headedness that it forced her back down on the ground. Though she lay on her back, she tried to move to get a better look, but the sharp pain in her temple prevented her from moving too much.

"Damn, a Dark Jedi! I'll try to hold him off, you get to the escape pods! Go!" Nace heard Trask yell; she then heard him pulling out a vibroblade. The quiet, yet condemning sound of the ship's door closing and sealing itself told her that he had entered the room.

Overcome with a sense of guilt, Nace forced herself up off the floor, ignoring the pain and nausea that wracked her head and body. She ran to the door and hammered on it. "No -- Trask, no!" She desperately tried using her skill with locks to open the door, but to no avail -- the door was shut tight. She punched the door angrily with her fist, tears welling up in her eyes, mostly from frustration, though partly from a sudden feeling of loneliness. She then leaned against the door, her nausea and pain taking its toll. "For Force sakes, Trask!"

Nace heaved and threw up, then allowed herself one last rest on the door. She mourned his loss briefly; though she had barely known the man, he was still a credit to the Republic, and a good man. She would have liked to stay in the room longer -- if not in mourning, then in consideration to her condition -- but the situation at hand didn't allow it. Trask didn't sacrifice himself so she could stay and get killed by the Sith. Pushing herself up off of the door, she picked up her sword and headed towards the escape pods.

* * *

Nace burst into the room, sword at the ready. Her chest was heaving once again, and her entire body sang with pain and exhaustion. Inside the room was a man, whom she assumed was a Republic, though she couldn't be sure; he wasn't wearing a uniform. He had brown hair, combed back, though two strands had escaped and swung loosely in front of his deep, brown eyes. He wore an orange jacket, which, in Nace's opinion, looked hideous; once she got a better look, however, she noticed that it showcased the man's muscles well -- he appeared to be a well-built individual. The longer she looked at the jacket, the more she became attached to it; she supposed that it was one of those things that you had to look at for a while to appreciate.

Realizing that she should be focused on the task at hand, she asked, "Who are you?" without lowering her weapon. She still wasn't sure if he was on her side or not, and she did not intend to let her guard down until she was sure.

"My name's Carth Onasi, and I'm a soldier with the Republic, like you," the man, Carth, said. "We're the last two crew members left on the _Endar Spire_. Bastila's escape pod is already gone, so there's no reason for us to stick around and get shot by the Sith. Now come on -- there'll be time for questions later!" he explained hurriedly.

Nace lowered her sword slowly, and walked to the last remaining escape pod. She couldn't know for sure, but she sensed that this man meant her no harm, and she could use an ally. Looking down and focusing on the escape pod, she frowned as she saw that it was a single.

Carth saw her grimace and said, "I know it's a single, but it's our only chance at getting off this ship! I'll go in first, you'll have to sit on my lap."

"It'll have to do," Nace said, accepting the inevitable.

Carth got in, and Nace slipped in after him, resting herself on his lap. Quickly, he released the pod into space, leaving it to fall down to the plant below. Nace would have liked to look out of the window at the _Endar _Spire, but the cramped quarters of the pod didn't allow for that. As they entered the atmosphere, the ride became shakier and more violent; Nace could feel the temperature rise slowly in the small escape pod. Though she would never admit it, she was becoming afraid at this point; she didn't like not knowing her surroudings. Her companion had tightened his grip around her stomach; she guessed that he, too, felt edgy.

Finally, the pod collided with the planet's surface with such surprising force that Carth let go of Nace, which sent her head careening into the pod's wall. Pain shot through the woman's head, and black began clouding the sides of her vision as her consciousness ebbed away. She felt herself being pulled out of the pod, all the while the black stealing away more and more of her vision; she was no longer aware of where the two were, or what they were doing. She felt a hand move her face gently, and she saw the man -- Carth, was it? -- from the _Endar Spire_ looking down at her face with concern. It was the last thing that she saw, as she finally surrendered herself to the blackness.

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_I own nothing, save Nace._


	2. Unbidden memories

**Chapter 2 -- Unbidden memories.**

Carth cursed as he saw his companion fade from consciousness. With her unconscious, it would be much harder to get away from the crashed pod undetected. They were hidden behind the escape pod for now; but it wouldn't be long before some curious Tarisians explored the crash. _Or worse... The Sith,_ he thought cryptically.

Carth carefully scooped up the unconscious woman in his arms and peeked over the escape pod. A crowd was already beginning to form; it wouldn't be long before the Sith were dispatched to search the wreckage for survivors. He quietly slipped into the shadows as he surveyed the scene one last time; his eyes flicking about the scene, searching for something he could salvage, but it was no use. He wouldn't be able to carry anything with the woman in his arms anyways.

His form hidden in the shadows, Carth stole quietly away from the escape pod while trying to avoid prying eyes. As he walked, he searched desperately for a place that he and his fellow soldier could hide. His eyes briefly rested on what appeared to be an apartment building. Though it looked to be run-down, it seemed safe enough, and he figured that there might be an abandoned room somewhere in the building.

With new purpose, Carth made for the entrance of the building; all the while trying to be inconspicuous. Well, as inconspicuous as he could be with an unconscious woman in his arms. He stood in front of the door briefly before it opened, admitting him inside.

Carth walked inside tentatively, still not wishing to be seen. Thankfully, there was no one in the hallways; they all seemed to be inside their apartments or outside, looking at the crash. He walked as quickly as he could while still being quiet, searching for an apartment that could hide in.

At last Carth found what seemed to be an abandoned room. He tried to open the door, but it was a little stuck. He frowned and gently lay his companion on the floor, placing her head gently on his boot so it wouldn't have to touch the floor. With his hands free, he proceeded to un-stick the door. After a few minutes, he succeeded in opening the door; he picked up the woman and stepped inside.

Carth's eyes flicked briefly about the room before setting his fellow soldier onto a bed. The room appeared to be abandoned; there were no personal items to suggest that anyone lived there. He took his attention away from the apartment, and turned his attention instead to the woman in his care.

Though he wasn't amazingly skilled in the medical area, Carth was determined to do what he could for his companion. He looked at the large bump on her head, and winced as he saw how big it was. As he touched it tenderly, he thought: _This is all my fault... If I had been holding her properly, she wouldn't have gotten it._ He shook his head to rid himself of the thought; that wouldn't help her right now, though he couldn't rid himself of the guilt.

Carth's eyes strayed to the woman's clothes, which were littered with small holes, seemingly made by vibroblades. He grimaced as he saw the burns on her vest, suggesting that she got hit with a blaster a few times, if only grazes. He hesitated before continuing; though he wanted to preserve her modesty, he knew that the rest of her injuries needed to be looked at. With a small tinge of guilt to add to the rest, he carefully pulled off her outer clothing and slipped off her boots.

Carth frowned as he saw the injuries. None of them looked life-threatening, but they still made him wince -- especially the blaster wounds. The flesh was burned in three places: one shot on the left shoulder, one on the upper right arm, and another shot at the very right of the waist. Carth's eyes strayed from her waist to her abdomen, where a large, purple-blue bruise was forming. Another progressing bruise, bigger, was on her upper left arm. Many small cuts were on the upper half of her body, some deep, some not so much; but all of them where bleeding. Carth realized that the cuts should be cleaned, and briefly got up from her side to search for something to clean them.

Upon searching the refresher, Carth found only a ragged cloth. For the millionth time that night, he cursed the circumstances. He ran the cloth under cold water, and walked out of the 'fresher. Kneeling beside the recruit, he tried his best to... _Oh, who am I kidding? I don't even know if this cloth will do anything._ Nevertheless, he wiped her brow and injuries gently with the damp cloth, doing anything he could to help; though he wasn't entirely sure he was accomplishing anything.

Carth continued to dab her wounds until the cloth in his hand turned warm and began to dry. He sighed and dragged a chair to her bedside, wanting to keep an eye on her. With concern, he pulled some blankets over her body, then leaned back into his chair. As he watched her, his eyes fluttered as he tried to stay awake; he wanted to watch and protect the woman. He was, however, no match for his exhaustion, and soon fell asleep in his chair.

* * *

Carth's head suddenly jolted upwards as he awoke. He looked wildly about, automatically searching for threats, until his eyes fell on the unconscious woman lying in the bed next to him. As he looked at the peaceful-looking woman, the previous night's happenings came to him. Though he visibly relaxed, inside, he was just as frantic. He bent forward, leaning on his thighs, sighed, and ran his hands through his hair. _I need some caffa..._ he thought.

Carth got out of his chair and began searching the empty apartment for some caffa, but he didn't find anything; there was no food or drink. Frustrated and tired, he ran a hand through his hair again. As some point he would have to go and get food, if not for him then for his companion; but not now. He walked back to his chair tiredly and sat in it, then leaned forward and propped his chin in his hand. As he observed the recruit, it occurred to him that he didn't even know her name.

Upon his realization, Carth began rummaging through his pockets. If he remembered correctly, he had shoved a datapad into... There. He pulled it out successfully, and searched it for any information about his companion. From what he could remember, the datapad issued to him contained any and all information about or related to the _Endar Spire_, so it wouldn't be too hard to find his fellow soldier's name.

Carth found her at the bottom of the recruit list, seemingly added as an afterthought.

_Nacina Cral, civilian recruit. Skilled in linguistics, computers, repair and bypassing security. Trained in melee combat._

The file said no more, which was strange; most files were a little more complete. _She must have been that last-minute add I heard about,_ Carth reasoned. He looked at the picture once again, studying it more carefully. Her eyes looked defeated, and yet, behind the sorrow, there was a fierce and aggressive glint; she seemed to have a small flicker of determination that Carth could see would never die. He briefly wondered what had happened to her that made her seem so defeated, but didn't linger on the thought; all he really cared about now was getting her better.

Without warning, Nacina shifted in her sleep, immediately causing Carth to look upon her with concern. She moaned and turned on her side, shaking her head slightly. He could only watch helplessly as she kept shifting, he didn't know what else he could do. After a long time, though Carth wasn't sure how long, she calmed and was reduced to an inaudibe muttering, and then to a peaceful silence once more.

Still, Carth watched her with concern. As he sat, he let the previous night's events wash over him:

_Nacina slipping from his grasp and hitting the escape pod wall, his immediate guilt..._

While these events came over him, old, unbidden ones bubbled up to the surface.

_A dying plant around him, bodies everywhere._

Carth shook his head violently and tried to push the memories down. As he forcefully ran his hand through his hair, he forced himself to remember last night; it was last night he was thinking about. It didn't work.

_People screaming, calling their loved ones' names; his own voice part of the yells._

He forced the memory down, subduing it and telling himself to think about the previous night, forcing himself to remember its every, last, excruciating detail.

_Nacina on the ground, having fallen from their crashed escape pod. His chest moving up and down, pumped from adrenaline. Guilt resounding in him, as though it was part of the blood that ran through his veins. The scene was so much like that from four years ago._

_Him running, eyes flicking from body to body as he searched. And then --_

Carth let loose a sob, which thankfully brought him back to the present. He pushed the memories down -- all of them, even last night's -- and locked them away. His eyes immediately turned to Nacina, who's gentle breathing brought her chest slowly up and down. Gazing at her, he had a sudden desire to protect her, to shield her from the world. But it quickly passed, and was replaced with a soldier to soldier concern.

While Carth looked at Nacina, he came to the realization that he needed medical supplies to properly heal her. The bump on her head kept getting bigger, the bruises on her body were getting larger and gaining more colour, and her cuts needed cleaning. He grimaced; he didn't want to leave her alone, but she needed those supplies.

Carth sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He got up and paced around the apartment, torn as to what he should do. He didn't want to leave Nacina by herself -- especially when she was unconcious -- but she needed those supplies. He sighed again, looked at the knocked-out soldier, and decided to leave -- hopefully, she would be here when he got back.

Carth took a few steps, then, as an afterthought, walked over to the bundle of clothes by the bed. He searched the pile for Nacina's weapon, then lay it on top of the clothing, where the woman could find it if she needed it. Then, with a heavy weight on his mind, he left the apartment, dutifully locking the door behind him.

* * *

"Hello there. Is there something I can do for you?"

Carth found himself in the local medical facility, talking to the doctor there: Zelka Forn. It had been more difficult than he thought it would be to find the facility. Most of the Tarisians he has spoken to were reluctant to involve themselves in his affairs, but a sympathetic woman has seen his desperation and told him where he could find the facility.

"I, I need some medical supplies. Do you think I could look at your inventory?" Carth replied, hesitant to give away too much information.

"Yes, of course. Are you looking for something specific? I can help you look."

"No, I'm-" Carth began, but realized that he probably wouldn't know what to look for. He had a general idea, but didn't want to put Nacina's life in jeopardy. "Yeah, help would be great."

Zelka led Carth to his inventory and asked questions as the two sifted through the supplies. Zelka asked what kind of injuries there were, how the patient got them... He just wanted to get the best supplies for the injuries. Carth, however, was reluctant to relieve any information about either he or Nacina, and only gave small details. Zelka's questions made him uneasy, and he didn't want to give away any facts that might alert the Sith to who they were.

Eventually though, Carth got the supplies he needed. As Zelka rang up the total, he winced as he saw all of the numbers attached to the credit signs. He had enough, but he and Nacina would need all of the credits they could get; they didn't have much.

Zelka watched as his customer parted with his credits reluctantly. Zelka could tell that the man was in trouble, and short on credits. _A story all too familiar on this planet..._ he thought sadly. He sighed, and applied a small discount to the total of the customer's purchase. The man's eyes widened slightly out of surprise, but handed the full price to him anyways.

"No," Zelka said, and put the credits back in Carth's hand.

"I-I need you to stay quiet about this. About me," Carth explained, and returned the credits.

Zelka put them back in his hand once more and said, "I don't need credits for that. I'm no fan of the Sith or the crime organizations; I won't say anything."

Carth allowed himself a small smile, his first in a long time. "Thank you."

The customer pocketed the credits and left the medical facility, a bag full of supplies in his hand. Zelka watching him leave forlornly, sad thoughts and unanswered questions buzzing in his head. After a while, he realized that he had to get back to work; he shook his head softly as if to rid himself of such symathetic thoughts, then went back to work.

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_Again, I own nothing, except for Nace. But she's unconcious, so I guess she doesn't really count right now... _

_Note: _

_Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up... I haven't been in a very creative state of mind lately, thus this chapter has been hard to write._


	3. No more surprises, please

**Chapter 3 -- No more surprises, please.**

_I was on a Sith ship, watching the battle before me play out. A young Jedi battled against one of my own Dark Jedi, the battle fierce with determination and skill from both sides. The yellow and red light from each lightsaber hummed and crackled, and when they met, sparks flew. In the end, the young female Jedi dealt a deadly blow, and the Dark Jedi fell to the ground, dead. I simply blinked in response._

* * *

Carth sat by Nacina's bedside, watching her concernedly. She had begun to toss and turn again, and it had Carth worried. Though she was taking to the medical attention that he gave her, she still hadn't woken up yet; she just kept fidgeting and moaning in her sleep. This was their third morning on Taris, and Carth figured that she should be up by now.

Nacina rolled once more, then began to quiet down. Carth sighed, and poured himself a cup of caffa. He was running out of what little food he had bought, as he hadn't left the apartment since he had gotten the medical supplies and food. He didn't want to leave again either; he was afraid that something might happen to Nacina if he left her alone. He had barely even slept, for even then something could happen to her without him being there to protect her.

Carth sighed again and ran his free hand through his hair. He walked to the chair he had placed by Nacina's bedside and sat in it, easing into its contours. After a while he had finished his caffa and placed it on a nearby table. Soon he fell into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

Nace sat up quickly, jolted from her sleep by a nightmare. With her chest moving up and down, she took in her surroundings. To her immense surprise, she found a man sleeping in a chair next to her. She cried out in surprise, rolled over the other side of the bed, and fell on the floor with a large _whump_.

Carth woke at the sound of a yell and a _whump_. He stood up quickly, pulling out his blaster, only to trip over his feet and collide with the floor. He brought out his blaster from under him and pointed it at the intruder.

Nace inhaled quickly and her eyes widened with fear and surprise as she saw the barrel of a blaster pointed in her face. _I don't think I can take any more surprises..._ she thought warily. She tore her eyes away from the blaster and looked to its owner.

Nace knew that face; she had seen it before. "Carth..." her face scrunched up a little as she tried to remember. "Carth... Onasi?"

At once Carth realized his mistake. "Nacina, right?" he lowered his blaster.

Despite herself, Nace winced. "It's uh, it's Nace." she got up from the floor and sat on the bed she had just fallen off of. "No one ever calls me Nacina anymore."

Carth left the floor and sat into his chair. "It's good to see you up, instead of thrashing about in your sleep. You must have been having one hell of a nightmare. I was..." he ran his hand through his hair. "I was wondering if you were ever going to wake up. I was with you in the escape pod, do you remember?"

Nace brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. She looked at her feet and said: "I remember."

"Well you've been out of conscious for a few days now, so I imagine you're pretty confused about things. Try not to worry. We're safe... at least for the moment," Carth finished cryptically.

The two spoke for a while, discussing their situation and their plans. During the conversation, Nace learnt that Bastila was not technically with the Republic; she was a Jedi with a strong connection to the Force, and extraordinary Battle Meditation. She was the key to the Republic war effort.

They were on a planet by the name of Taris, which was under Sith control. The two needed to find Bastila, then get off the planet. If Bastila was caught by the Sith, the consequences would be disastrous.

Before they ended the conversation, Carth added: "I've heard some pretty grim stories about the Dark Jedi interrogation techniques. They say the Force can do terrible things to a mind. It can wipe away your memories and destroy your very identity! But I figure if we don't do anything stupid, we should be okay. I mean, after all, they're-" Carth looked down to the floor and ran a hand through his hair. "They're looking for Bastila, not a couple of grunts like us."

The two sat for a while, trying not to picture what could happen should they be found. After a minute or two, Carth got out of his chair and began looking for what little food they had left. "I think I've got something to eat here somewhere..." he said.

Nace sat on the bed for a while, hugging her knees close to her for warmth. All the while, Carth foraged for food, occasionally making a few loud noises. It was then that Nace realized something particularly embarrassing. "Uh, Carth?" she asked, sounding more than a little mortified.

"What is it?"

There was a pause. "Why am I in my underwear?"

There was a longer pause. Carth began turning red, and thanked the Force that he wasn't facing Nace.

"You didn't... You uh, you didn't-" Nace said, fumbling her words.

"No! No, no I, I didn't," Carth replied forcefully once he caught on to what she was suggesting. "No, I would never do that. I-I uh, needed to clean your wounds. They, they were pretty bad."

Nace visibly relaxed and thanked the Force a thousand times over. "Do you mind telling me where I can find my clothes?"

Carth turned even redder. "Beside your bed," he answered, without even looking at her.

Nace looked on the floor beside her bed, and sure enough, there were her clothes; her sword too. She leaned over and scooped her clothes up, laying them out on her bed. As she looked them over, she noticed many holes, and a lot of blood stained them. "Frack," she whispered quietly.

"Did you say something?" Carth said. He had stopped blushing, and so turned towards Nace.

"Oh, nothing, I guess. There's just a lot of blood stains in my clothes. Was I badly hurt?"

"You were pretty bad," Carth's eyes swept Nace's body, eyeing all of her injuries. The bump on her forehead was still there, as were some of the bruises, but they had all lessened slightly. "From what I can see, the bump you got is still there."

"Where is it?"

"On your forehead." Carth's voice trailed off, and he walked over to her bedside. He kneeled down to her level, and let his hand hover over the injury. "Right here."

Nace's hand went to her forehead, her hand briefly brushing against his, but he withdrew to let her have a look.

"Be careful. You might get a nasty headache from touching that too much."

"I'll be fine," Nace said as she roamed her forehead. Her hand found the bump, and it jerked in surprise at it's size; she didn't think it would be that big. This resulted in a sharp jab of pain, after which followed a huge headache. Her head felt like it was going to burst. Her eyes glazed over, and she let out a loud groan of pain.

Carth heard a long groan, and immediately turned to see what Nace was up to. His eyes widened in panic at what he saw; then he frantically began searching for the stimulant that he bought from Zelka. As he searched furiously, he asked, "Do you have a headache?" He didn't want to give Nace the wrong stim.

"What do you think-" she practically yelled, but stopped short as a fresh wave of pain met her head, accentuated by a sharp jab coming from the bump. She groaned quietly.

"Whoa, watch it," Carth replied warily.

Finally, Carth uncovered the stimulant. With a face full of determination, he pulled it out and went to Nace's beside. Without a word of warning, he jammed it into her thigh. He heard a sigh emanating from her, and knew his job was done.

Nace sighed in relief as she felt the stim taking care of her headache. The once roaring pain that engulfed her senses was now reduced to a quiet, yet persistent presence with the occasional blinding throb. Once she felt it was safe, she tested the waters by sitting up slowly, and was only met by a thundering wave that quickly dispersed. Oddly enough, she felt quite tired, as if the pain had sapped her of her strength.

Nace looked at Carth, who was warily watching her progressions. "Thanks," she said to him earnestly. "That really hurt."

"Don't mention it," Carth replied. "It was nothing."

"Force, not to me. I feel like I just got run over by a herd of banthas..."

They sat silent for a moment, when Carth broke the silence. "You know," he said, cocking his eyebrow at Nace. "I told you that you would get a headache," His reply was silence. "I hate to say 'I told you so' but-"

"Oh go space yourself," Nace said grumpily.

Carth laughed quietly to himself, amused with Nace's antics. Nace sat on her bed, simmering with annoyance, trying to subdue the minor headache that was still making itself known in her head. The two sat for a while, until Nace figured that the best way to rid herself of her pain was to sleep.

"I don't know about you, but this morning," Nace thought for a moment. "night -- whatever it was -- has been eventful enough for me. I'm going to sleep," she stated, pulling the covers over her until not one part of her was visible.

"Sweet dreams," Carth said, smiling impishly.

"Shh!"

Carth simply chuckled quietly to himself again. _Hard to take her seriously when she's buried under a mountain of blankets..._ he thought to himself cheekily. Within minutes, only Nace's relaxed breathing could be heard; which Carth found this comforting compared to the moaning and muttering she had uttered in her previous rests.

Soon enough, Carth fell asleep too. They rested quietly together, Carth in his chair and Nace bundled in her blankets. Not even an angry Wookiee could have woken them up, and that was fine by them.

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_I__ don't own anything, except for Nace._

_Note:_

_Once again, I apologize for taking so long with this. My internet has seemingly declared war on me, and declined me access to itself. My reinforcements are coming in two days-the internet guy-and I promise I will put this up as soon as that bad ass internet is vanquished. Or... maybe not. Because then there would be none, as it would be dead. (is confused)_


	4. Lighten up

**Chapter 4 -- Lighten up.**

A particularly loud snore emanating from Carth woke Nace from her sleep. Her eyes fluttered lazily and her view slowly turned from black, to the apartment, to black again. She continued this pattern until Carth snored again, causing her eyes to snap open. This enlightening view was short lived, however, as her eyes slowly closed again.

"Shh..." Nace muttered quietly, to sleepy to say anything louder. Carth's reply was simply another snore.

Nace wasn't sure how long she lay there; falling into sleep's clutches, then being seemingly "rescued" by another one of Carth's snores. After a while, she realized that her attempts to fall back asleep would be futile. _I might as well get up now..._ she thought mournfully.

Nace lay in her bed, willing herself to get up, but unwilling to make the ultimate sacrifice and actually get up. She slowly rolled towards the end of her bed, with the reasoning that, if she got close enough to the edge, she would get up.

As Nace got closer and closer to the edge of her bed, she realized that the chances of her actually getting up to prevent a fall were very slim. She stopped rolling at this realization, teetering on the edge of sleep and sudden wakefulness. She stayed like this, the suspense keeping her eyes wide open.

Carth ruined her attempts, however, with an exceptionally loud snore. Nace cried out in surprise, and began falling to her imminent doom. Time seemed to slow down for her, as if to prepare herself for her third recent fall. Just before she met the floor, her legs lashed out with lightning fast reflexes and prevented her fall.

The entire ordeal had left Nace a little light-headed, but that feeling soon gave way to a minor headache, nothing more. Though she would rather not have it, it was a far cry from what she had sported the night before, and for that she was grateful. She wobbled over to Carth and briefly considered poking him in the head for waking her up, but quickly decided that that would be ungrateful. After all, he had saved her life.

Nace continued to test her ability to walk, until she was confident that she could move without stumbling. Once she conquered her instability, her mind went to the night before, and what she and Carth had discussed. She realized that her clothes were still stained with blood, and if she wanted to wear them again, she would need to wash them.

She walked over to the pile beside her bed, and scooped them up. She went to the 'fresher, where she proceeded to try and wash the stains out of her clothes. Though she did manage to lighten the stains, they didn't disappear. _Frack. Now I won't be able to wear this shirt again,_ she thought. From what she could tell, her and Carth were short on credits, and they needed to save all the credits they had.

Nace sighed, pulled her clothes out of the water, and hung them on an empty towel rack. She wouldn't waste her time trying to wash out permanent blood stains. Instead, she chose to have a shower; she hadn't had one since the _Endar Spire_.

Nace took her sweet time, washing every nook and cranny, save her injuries -- they were still sore. After a long and refreshing shower, she stepped out, feeling cleaner then she had in days. After brief inspection, she found that her clothes were mostly dry.

Nace slipped on her pants, who's stains were barely visible, thanks to their dark colour. She put on her boots and vest, cursing at the fact that she now had no shirt. She would need to go shopping soon to replace her clothes; she was not going to walk around in blood stained garments any longer than she had to.

Nace proceeded out of the refresher and, much to her surprise, found Carth still asleep. _I figured he'd be an early riser kind of guy,_ she thought, but brushed that apathetic thought aside. The poor man must not have slept very much while she was unconscious.

Shaking her head to rid herself of her thoughts, Nace began to search for the nourishment that, in her opinion, was needed to properly complete every morning. She began her search in good spirits, elated with the anticipation of what she was sure she was about to find. She began looking where things like what she was looking for were kept, but when her desire didn't appear, she searched in more un-orthodox spots: under the bed for one. As time progressed and her quest produced no results, her feelings turned more and more sour.

After she had searched the 'fresher in desperation and had still found nothing, Nace's patience was up. She stormed out of the refresher, grabbed a pillow that had been hastily thrown on the floor during her search, and hit Carth in the face with it, mid-snore. The snore died abruptly as Carth's eyes snapped open.

"Wha-" Carth began.

"Where did you put it?" Nace inquired moodily.

"Put what? I do --"

"The caffa, you flaming --"

"Caffa?!" Carth stood up. "You woke me up for _caffa_?!"

"Yes, I did! Now tell me: where did you put it?"

"I didn't put it anywhere! It's gone!"

"... Gone?" Nace put her hand to her mouth; this was a blow.

"Yeah, gone. I drank it all. Happy?" Carth said, apathetic to her problem.

Angered by his indifference, Nace's hand left her face and her attack resumed. "What do you mean, you _drank_ it all?! We don't have any _caffa_?!"

"No, we don't!"

"What kind of person doesn't have caffa?!"

"My kind of person!"

"You mean an insane kind of person!"

Carth opened his mouth to retort, but Nace interrupted him. "It doesn't matter. If we don't have any caffa, I'm going to go get some."

Nace began searching for her short sword among the items strewn all over the floor as Carth objected. "You can't leave! You shouldn't even be walking, much less parading all over Taris with that bump on your head. You're not completely healed yet!' Carth watched her clean up in indifference, when he noticed something. "You're not even wearing a shirt!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that... Do you have a shirt under that jacket I can borrow?"

"You can't have my shirt."

"Come on, Carth. What if the Sith invade our apartment? You don't want them to be _tempted_, do you?" Nace was thankful her back was facing Carth, else he would have seen her impish grin.

Carth realized the truth in what she was saying, and grimly started to take off his jacket. He wore a white shirt underneath, which he pulled up and over his head. He threw his jacket loosely back on, but it still revealed his chest.

"Here," Carth grumbled, and handed Nace his shirt.

Nace turned around, her gaze resting on Carth. If it were possible for her eyes to pop out of her head, they would have. She took the shirt absently, her eyes on the skin under his jacket. He was extremely well-toned; his muscles were large, but not overly so. It was obvious that he worked hard to keep his body the way it was. She could see the man's moving under his skin as his limbs moved accordingly. She watched as his arm withdrew from his shirt -- which was now in Nace's hands -- and moved towards his jacket, then as his hands...

Fastened his jacket. Carth, still grumpy, didn't notice anything. "Well? Will you stay now?"

Nace blinked a few times, trying to hide her dismay. Processing what Carth had just said, she quickly slipped off her vest and pulled the top swiftly over her head. It was way too big, but it was better than walking around just wearing her vest.

Slipping her vest back on, Nace answered, "No."

There was a pause. Carth looked back at Nace, his eyebrows higher than normal. "No?" he said, as if he had just misheard her.

"No." Nace repeated. "I'm going to go get some caffa."

"But --" Carth began.

"If you're so worried," Nace said, sheathing her weapon, "why don't you come with me?" She turned around, giving Carth the most charming smile she could muster.

Impervious to her charms, Carth continued to protest. "You're in no condi --"

Nace's face hardened and her smile disappeared. "Look, I'm going and you can't stop me. What are you going to do? _Force_ me to stay here?"

Carth's mouth opened, but nothing came out. He didn't want to _make_ her stay, he could worsen her injuries if she put up a fight.

Nace smiled in triumph. She stooped to pick Carth's blasters up off the ground, and put them in his hand. "Lighten up, Carth. It'll be fun."

* * *

_Disclaimer: _

_I only own Nace. _

_Note:_  
_  
Geez, you guys must be so tired of hearing me say this, but I'm sorry it took so long. Again. I've been insanely busy with all that summer fun, and everytime I sit down on the computer to write, something comes up and I have to abandon my efforts._

_This chapter goes out to:  
__  
Nick, who seriously motivated me to get this thing going. ("Write Chapter 4 NOW." :D)_

_Jen, who's the closest thing I have to a beta. Thanks for putting up with my sending of the snippets, and for putting up with my ecstatic "I got a review" rants._

_Everyone who reviewed. As you can see above, it seriously makes my day. I get all happy and squeal like a fangirl, plus it really helps my writing. I mean it, thank you._


	5. A painful past

**Chapter 5 -- A Painful Past.**

"Excuse me."

A Twi'lek bustled past.

"Excuse me, do --"

An Ithorian rushed away to his apartment.

"Do you know where I can find --"

A flustered looking Quarren walked away quickly.

Exasperated, Nace slid down the wall and landed on the floor. She brought her knees up and curled into a ball, her face hidden in her legs. After a few moments, she brought her face out of hiding and looked at Carth, who was leaning against the same wall, his arms crossed.

"All I want is some simple directions! Why won't they --"

"Hey there -- watch where you're walking! I just cleaned those floors," an old man reprimanded the two.

Nace didn't say anything, she just gave the man the dirtiest glare she could muster; Carth answered for her. "Sorry, we didn't know."

"Well, alright then. No hard feelings," the old man replied while scratching his head. "My name's Kadir. I'm the janitor for this building."

Carth gave Kadir a nod, but Nace just went back into hiding; she could feel one of her headaches coming on.

Carth noticed that she wasn't saying anything, so he spoke for her. "Where is the cantina?"

Kadir looked confused for a moment, as if he didn't know what Carth was talking about. After a moment, he announced triumphantly, "Just keep following the apartment complex ring until you come to the elevator. It'll take you out to the Upper City streets. From there just head south a ways. You can't miss it."

Carth smiled, nodded and pushed himself off the wall. "Thanks. We'll be going now," he told the janitor.

Kadir nodded, and said, "I should get back to work anyway. I'll probably see you around -- I'm here most of the time. This building doesn't clean itself you know."

The janitor walked away, leaving the two alone. Carth bent down to Nace's level, concerned with her lack of enthusiasm at finding a cantina.

Carth rested his hand on her shoulder gently, and asked, "Are you okay?"

Nace groaned quietly and mumbled into her legs, "Headache."

"You have a headache? How bad is it?" Carth asked, alarmed.

Nace brought her head up slowly and put her finger on her lips. "It'll go away," she answered, removing her finger from her lips. "And I don't need a stim," she told him as he opened his mouth once more, seemingly to protest.

"Are you sure? Our apartment's really close --"

"No, Carth. I'll be fine," Nace assured him. "Besides," she added, a small smile forming on her face, "caffa cures everything."

Nace pushed herself up and off the ground before he could reply, and walked to the elevator, her hand on her forehead. A concerned looking Carth followed her silently. The two rode the elevator down to the streets of Taris, as instructed.

Stepping out of the building, Nace got her first look at Taris in a long time. The sky was a fading mix between green and blue, littered with pink clouds varying in shape and size. Tall, hemisphere shaped buildings towered over bustling Tarisians, making Nace feel more than a little insignificant. Ships made circles in the sky, looking lost, though a few expensive looking ones landed in the city.

Nace's observations ended when Carth grabbed her arm gently and leaded her away from the apartment. "You're blocking the door," he informed her. Once she started walking, his hand slipped off her arm and he said, "First time here?"

Nace shook her head, then grimaced inwardly. Head movement didn't bode well for her headache. "No. I've been to Taris, but only for a little while; I needed some supplies," She looked at Carth and remarked, "Though it's been a while."

His gaze facing forward, looking for the cantina, Carth nodded and replied, "Same here. It --" he stopped talking abruptly.

Nace wasn't by his side anymore. Carth turned around quickly, eyes searching franticly for his fellow soldier. His view darted every which way, not lingering on any one person for long. There were so many people bustling in the street, how would he be able to find her; what if he didn't?

Carth's frantic search ended when his darting eyes landed on a petite figure with messy hair -- Nace. She was standing stock still with her hand over her mouth. Her unblinking eyes were set on a wreck -- a crashed escape pod that, seemingly, no one would be able to walk away from.

Carth walked over, a sympathetic frown on his face.

"Is that --?" the shocked recruit asked.

"Yeah," Carth said. He let her take it in for a brief moment, then took her hand gently and led her away. "Come on, we're getting stares."

"How did we --?" Nace began again, but Carth cut her off.

"No idea. Pure, dumb luck, I guess. Either that, or the Force likes us."

Their hands slid apart and the two continued to search for the cantina. With so many bustling Tarisians, they found it difficult to see through the crowds long enough to read a sign. The two were just about to give up and ask someone for directions when they saw the cantina in the distance. Nace's face broke into an eager smile at the promise of caffa, and she sped up accordingly.

A quick nod by the Sith bouncer admitted them into the cantina. Stepping in, the two saw that the establishment was mostly empty, but a few people were there, sipping caffa. After a quick glance around, the two sought and found a table. They hailed a waitress, who took their orders, then walked off.

While they waited for their caffas, the two spoke of their plans and options in low, hushed tones. Even when their drinks arrived, their intense conversation continued, but they didn't get any closer to figuring out where Bastila could be, or where the other escape pods landed. After a while of repeating themselves, the conversation died, leaving the two to stir and drink their caffas silently.

Nace stirred her own drink absent-mindedly, her head empty for the first time in days. Her eyes wandered the room, but she took nothing in. Eventually her gaze fell on Carth, who was looking at the floor with the same absent appearance in his eyes. Looking at him, she realized that she didn't know that much about this man, who had saved her life. Suddenly, bringing the two back from their reveries, a waitress dropped an order with a loud crash.

Carth, who's head had snapped up at the noise, noted Nace's gaze and asked, "What?"

Nace hesitated before answering. "I'd like to know more about you, Carth."

"Me?" Carth asked, pointing a finger at his chest. Nace nodded. "Well, I've been a star-pilot for the Republic for years. I've seen more than my share of wars... I fought in the Mandalorian Wars before all this started. But with all that I've never experienced anything like the slaughter these Sith animals can unleash. Not even the Mandalorians were that senseless. My home world was one of the first planets to fall to Malak's fleet. The Sith bombed it into submission, and there wasn't a damn thing our Republic forces could do to stop them!"

Nace watched as Carth's expression went from slightly confused, to accommodating, to angry as he answered her question. His warm brown eyes turned hard and lifeless when he told her of his planet, his voice rising in volume and tension. Nace's heart caught and her eyes turned soft with sympathy.

"I'm sorry, Carth. This must be very painful for you." Nace told him sincerely.

As if he was unaware that she was speaking, Carth continued, relentless. "I'm just a soldier; I go where the fleet Admirals tell me to. I follow my orders and I do my duty. It just..." He sighed, partly exasperated, partly angry. "It doesn't seem right that doing that means I failed them! I didn't!"

Slightly confused, but not wanting to upset him, Nace asked tentatively, "Them? Do you mean the people of your home world?"

"Ye -- No... No, that's not what I mean. I mean... I'm sorry, I'm not making much sense, am I?" Carth stumbled, looking back at Nace. "You probably mean well with your questions. I'm just not accustomed to talking about my past very much. At all, actually. I'm more used to taking action... Keeping my mind focused on the business at hand. So let's just do that. If you have more questions, ask them later."

Though he obviously meant for them to go back to their previous discussion as to what they planned to do, Carth's statement left the two in an awkward silence. They sipped their caffas silently, each mind on something different. Though it seemed that the awkwardness wouldn't dissapate at the time, it did, and the two's minds began to stray elsewhere. Nace, who suddenly remembering something, broke their awkward-turned-companionable silence first.

"Carth?"

"Hm? Yes?"

"I -- I'm sorry. For, for dragging you out here for caffa, when you," Nace cleared her throat. "when you didn't want to come..."

Carth stared at her expectantly, a small smirk forming on his face. He watched as his companion opened her mouth awkwardly, but nothing came out -- she seemed to have lost her resolve. "And?" he prodded.

"... And, uh, you were uh, you were --"

"Right?"

"N -- Yeah... You were-" Nace choked the last word out. "-right. Running around trying to find caffa isn't the best thing with a bump on my head like this, but in my defence I'm not very rational until I have my morning caffa and-"

Carth cut her off before she embarassed herself. "Apology accepted. Besides," He lowered his voice a little and continued, "I wasn't in the best mood either."

Nace smiled and the two finished their caffas in companionable silence, hailing their waitress for a check once they were done. She took their cups and returned with the price of their orders. Called by another customer, she bustled away, leaving the two to rustle up their credits.

Carth's hand went to his pocket, where his credits were located, but Nace stopped him. "No, let me get this. We're going to have to pool our money together anyways, so I might as well pay." With that, she reached inside her vest pocket and pulled out the credits needed.

Carth looked grim, but didn't say anything -- he knew that Nace was right. With the credits on the table, the two got up and left the cantina, headed for their apartment. The waitress, seeing them walk out the door, hurried over to their table to gather the money.

"_Sleemo_," she cursed under her breath. "They didn't leave a tip."

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_You know the drill: None of this is mine, except for Nace._

_This chapter goes out to:_

_Ceilidh, just because she made me feel so friggin' special._


	6. Lifeless eyes

**Chapter Six -- Lifeless Eyes.**

The two soldiers wandered the streets of Taris, intent on getting supplies. As they walked along the busy streets, Carth, who remained silent, thought of his home planet: Telos. He pessimistically wondered how -- and if -- the war-ravaged planet would survive. The more he thought about his ill-fated home and its inhabitants, the guiltier he felt. If he had-

"We don't have any caffa, do we?" said Nace, interrupting Carth's mental laments.

Carth, puzzled and lost in thought for a few moments, turned his head towards her and asked, "What?"

"Caffa -- we're out, aren't we?"

It dawned on Carth what Nace was talking about. "Oh, yeah. We don't have any left."

"Well, unless we want to start every day with a fight and a visit to the cantina, I think that we should go and get some."

Carth nodded, then quickly turned his mind back to his thoughts. Nace, however, bluntly brought him back to the present again.

"We should probably get some clothes too -- mine are, uh --" she stopped speaking cautiously, searching their surroundings for any eavesdropping Sith. "-- stained."

Carth nodded abesntly, saying, "That sounds like a good idea."

"We're going to need some food too --"

"Alright, alright! We'll get food too. Just, please be quiet. I -- I have a headache."

Nace, finally realizing the annoyance she was imposing on him, quickly stopped talking. Instead, she preoccupied herself with her surroundings, searching for stores and shops that could prove useful. She entered those she found promising, being trailed by a moping Carth.

While browsing her chosen stores, Nace heard whispered gossip from Tarisian customers, discussing current issues on their planet. Through the suppressed conversations, she discovered that most of Taris' inhabitants didn't enjoy the Sith, or the martial law that came with them. In fact -- from what she gathered -- most would defy the Sith if they thought that they had a chance. Trouble was, the universal thought was that the Sith were impervious; and, for the most part, the Tarisians were right.

Though the possibility of an outright rebellion was slim, Nace was surprised to find as much dislike as she did. Perhaps there wasn't as much overwhelming support for the Sith as everyone thought; maybe the Tarisians were just afraid of them. Nace couldn't help but be disgusted at this fact; fear was not the proper way to earn respect.

Meanwhile, after he had finished moping, Carth had worked up enough courage to join a few of these conversations. Though most of the gossip was of no use to either him or Nace, he did find out some valuable information; if the rumors were true. According to several Tarisians, the remaining escape pods from the _Endar Spire _crashed into the UnderCity. He also heard a bit of off-hand gossip saying that some Republic survivors were being cared for by some Upper City doctor; maybe it was that doctor that had given him a discount?

After Nace had gotten the supplies they needed, she found Carth and they exited the market area. She found him in a considerably better mood in which she left him, raising her spirits as well. Her disposition was heightened even more when Carth told her the good news.

"This is great! Now we have some idea of where to start looking!"

Carth nodded, a grin stealing its way onto his face.

"We'll have to go as --"

"Davik says you missed your last payment."

Nace froze, searching her surroundings. From what she could tell, she and Carth had walked into a nearly empty section of the market area, probably due to it's drab looking stores. They looked to be alone, save for an old man, who was being bothered by two mean looking Tarisians.

"Davik doesn't like you missing payments!" threatened the second Tarisian.

Carth slowly took Nace's arm, and silently led her behind an empty booth. They crouched low to the ground, peering cautiously around the corner; this situation didn't seem like something they wanted to be involved in.

"Here -- I've got 50 credits! A down payment. That should buy me some time, right?" the old merchant pleaded.

"Sorry, you're out of time. Now its all or nothing. Davik can't have people not paying his debts!" the first Tarisian replied.

"Bounty hunters," Carth whispered in Nace's ear, his hands moving to his blasters. Nace reacted similarly, removing her hands from their shopping bags and resting them on the hilt of her short sword.

"But I don't have that much! How can I give you credits I don't have?" reasoned the poor man.

But the bounty hunters wouldn't be deterred. "That's too bad. Davik's going to want to make an example of you! You're coming with us," said the second mercenary.

The merchant had been obviously afraid before, but judging by the look on his face, he was absolutely petrified now. "No -- help! Somebody help! They're going to kill me!" he yelled hoarsely.

Carth's mouth neared Nace's ear once again and whispered, "I know we have to be careful about drawing attention to ourselves, but are we just going to let them drag this guy off?" Nace jerked her head no, and rose from her crouching position, pulling out her sword slowly and threateningly.

The first bounty hunter saw her rise, and said, "Hold on a second. Looks like we've got ourselves a witness here!"

"Davik doesn't like witnesses," threatened the second mercenary, pulling out a blaster and pointing it at her.

"Leave this man alone or you'll have to deal with me!" yelled Nace angrily, pointing her thumb at her chest.

"Guess we'll have to teach you to mind your own business!" the other bounty hunter replied, pulling out his blaster.

Using lightning fast reflexes, Nace dodged the first few blaster bolts headed her way. In a few consecutive movements, she zigzagged towards the mercenaries, ducking low to the ground in order to make the bounty hunters' target smaller. There proved to be too many bolts headed her way, however, for she had to stop and duck behind another booth. She peered slowly around the corner, but was met with a barrage of blaster bolts. _Frack, why didn't I bring my pistol?_ She thought desperately.

Nace was not doomed to die, however. Behind their original booth, Carth darted quickly around the corner, firing his blaster pistols with amazing accuracy. His bolts hit and killed the first mercenary, causing him to fall to the ground. Before the second bounty hunter could see him, he returned to his hiding spot, effectively confusing the remaining bounty hunter. The bewildered Tarisian started firing random shots towards Carth, obviously hoping that a stray bolt might hit him. Out of necessity, Carth returned fire, as the mercenary's shots were getting close to the mark.

Nace used the firefight as a distraction, zigzagging once more until she reached the bounty hunter. Using the hilt of her sword, she knocked the blaster out of his hand. Before he had a chance to react, she lashed out with her foot, causing the mercenary to fall flat on his back. Desperately, he reached for his blaster while on the ground, but Nace had other plans in mind. Before he could reach his blaster, Nace trust her short sword downwards into his gut, killing him effectively.

After the adrenaline of the fight wore off a little, Nace pulled her sword out of the bounty hunter and placed it back into her belt; she moved her arm onto her forehead in an effort to stop the headache she knew was about to come. Meanwhile, Carth holstered his blasters once more, rose up from behind the booth with their shopping bags, and walked towards Nace and the old man who was cowering behind his own booth. Once the merchant had seen that they meant him no harm, however, he rose up as well, thanking the two.

"Thank you -- I owe you my life! Those bounty hunters were going to take me away and kill me! My wife warned me not to take a loan from Davik. Now I can't pay him back. It's not good to owe a crime lord money. He'll just keep sending more bounty hunters after me until I'm dead!" The old man rambled, clearly shaken.

Nace's heart went out to the poor merchant. She wished she could give him some of their credits, but they needed everything that they could get; her and Carth didn't have anything to spare. "I'm just glad we could help," she told the man sincerely.

Still afraid, the merchant gathered what little wares he had and began leaving his booth. "I'm getting out of here before any more of Davik's goons show up. You should do the same," and without even a goodbye, he was gone.

Nace and Carth watched the old man leave, surprised at his abruptness. "At least we got a thank you," Nace remarked, taking some of the bags from Carth. While taking some of their supplies, her eyes met with the lifeless eyes of the bounty hunters. "What do you think we should do about the bodies?"

Carth looked at the dead mercenaries with a grimace, and said, "I hate to say it, but they should be fine here -- no one comes around, and there's nothing pointing the crime towards us. Messing around with these guys might stamp our names all over them."

Nace nodded, then looked up at Carth. "We should take the old man's advice and get out of here -- he was right, someone could show up."

The two left the scene shortly after making sure that they had everything; they needed the supplies that they had bought. They departed slowly, sore from their quick, but lethal battle a few minutes previous; the dull, lifeless eyes of the mercenaries the only witnesses.

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_Nace is mine, everything else isn't. YAY._


	7. Can I have a look?

**Chapter Seven -- "Can I have a look?"**

"Hey, Nace?" Carth asked his companion.

"Yeah?" came the muffled reply.

"You never told me anything about yourself, did you?"

The two had just returned from their eventful shopping trip, and had begun to unpack their purchases. Nace was in the 'fresher; she was providing the room with some much needed supplies, and changing into some less blood stained clothes. Carth could be found replenishing their food, making sure that the caffa was visible -- he didn't want another reaction like Nace's previous one.

"No, I didn't," Nace answered. "Would you like me too?"

Slightly taken aback, Carth said, "Yes, I would."

Inside the bathroom, Nace began to slip off her boots. "I'm not that exciting."

"Try me," Carth told her. He was just finishing what he was doing, and putting away their shopping bags.

Nace adjusted the tap, causing water to fill the sink. "Well, the best name you could come up for me would probably be a traveler or a spacer. I've seen a lot of planets, some that some people have never heard of. I also speak a fair number of languages," she took a cloth, wetted it, and began to scrub the stains off of her boots. "As far back as I can remember, I've wanted to explore the galaxy. There are so many things to see and people to meet!" Nace continued. She paused for a few moments, reflecting. "The biggest pull though, I think, was that I wanted to get away…"

Carth had finished putting away the two's purchases, and was now sitting in his chosen chair. "Get away from what?" he asked, intrigued.

Nace ignored his question. "I have a lot of stories," Nace told Carth. She was still scrubbing her boots -- the stains were being stubborn. "Maybe I'll tell you one sometime," she continued.

Realizing that Nace didn't want to reply his previous question, Carth asked another one. "If you liked traveling so much, why'd you join the Republic navy?"

Back in the refresher, Nace's face had begun to tint itself red. "I uh, I was… _Enjoying_ myself in a shady cantina-"

Carth snorted. "I like where this is going."

Despite the bathroom door, Nace glared in Carth's direction. "I was… _Influenced_. Some, uh, _colleagues_ and I were playing a few hands of Pazaak, and I was short on credits. Thanks to my _influence_, I figured it would be a good idea to bet my uh, my ship."

"Your ship?!" Carth was so surprised, he laughed out loud. "You bet your ship?"

"Hey -- I'm good at Pazaak! Besides, the ship needed some work…"

Carth simply snorted. "That's no reason to bet it on something like _Pazaak_."

"_Anyways_," Nace continued, "I uh, I lost the bet."

"That's surprising."

"Shh!" Nace exclaimed. "I lost my ship, and I had nowhere to go. I figured that, if I made enough credits, I could buy another ship, or at least a way off the planet. So I started looking for ways to make some money, and, while I was looking, I was approached by someone with the Republic. He asked me about my situation, and I told him. He suggested that I join the Republic navy -- I could fly and earn money at the same time. It seemed like a good idea, so I signed up," Nace continued, finishing her story. She had finished cleaning her boots, and placed them on the floor of the refresher. "I never thought that I would end up like this, though."

Carth nodded, forgetting that Nace couldn't see him. He thought about her story -- how could Nace have bet something so large and valuable as ship on something so trivial as a card game? From what he could tell, Pazaak relied solely on chance; there was little or no skill involved in the game. Carth didn't put much stock in such unpredictable chances.

Without Carth's verbal response, the two's conversation died, turning into a companionable silence. Alone in the refresher, Nace finished washing the blood out of the rest of her clothes, with a few exceptions. During the silence, she contemplated her story as well. She wondered what would have happened had she won that bet, or if she hadn't bet her ship at all. Would she even be in this situation? Her mind filled with possibilities.

Meanwhile, Carth had fallen asleep in his chair. His relaxed snores were quieter than the last time that they were heard; as a result, Nace couldn't hear them through the 'fresher door. She was surprised to see him resting in the chair when she came out of the room. Despite herself, and the surprise, she smiled slightly -- she thought that Carth looked cute while he slept.

With a lack of things to do, Nace did the only thing that she could -- go to bed. Resting on her mattress, she listened to all of the sounds in the apartment: Carth's quiet and peaceful snoring, and apartment residents' feet hitting the floor in predictable, auditory patterns. She closed her eyes, relaxing her body, then felt something strange. As she found herself on the border of consciousness and unconsciousness, she felt something close to a connection with everything she heard, and, everything she didn't. She could feel the desperateness of the apartment residents, and the carefree emotions of their children; in that brief moment, she felt closely linked to _everything_.

But the moment passed abruptly, and the connection faded. Confused, but half-asleep, Nace briefly wondered if she would remember this in the morning. Her musing thoughts were short-lived, however, as sleep finally took her.

* * *

Nace woke to the muted sound of water running. Confused, she silently wondered why the water would be going. She had been using it the night previous -- did she forget to turn it off?

As soon as it had occurred to her that the water might have been running all night, Nace leapt out of bed. She hurried to the refresher door, anxious to stop the liquid from pouring out the tap. Wrenching the door open, she was met with a surprising and unexpected sight.

Standing beside the shower was Carth, who had just finished tying a towel around his mid-section; evidently he had been washing. He was just leaning into the cubicle to turn off the tap when Nace had burst in, hair a mess, expecting the 'fresher to be empty. At the abrupt sound, Carth's head snapped to face her direction, a look of complete and utter shock evident on his face. It didn't take him a very long time to react.

"What the-" Carth began, hands scrambling to make sure that he was properly covered. "Nace, what the _frack_?!"

Nace's jaw dropped further than she could ever remember it being before. In shock, she pointed helplessly, first at Carth, then at the running water, then in Carth's direction again. "You-" she stuttered, her face turning a bright shade of red, "you -- but the, the water-"

Carth's face, a similar shade of red, had an open mouth as well. "Get out," he told her firmly.

Nace, seemingly unable to comprehend, just stared at him.

"Nace, get the _frack_ out of here! Right now!"

Nace scurried out of the refresher, dying of embarrassment. Knowing that she would be unable to face Carth once he exited the 'fresher, she made her way slowly to a corner, hiding her head between the two walls. A few moments later, she heard a door open, then close, accompanied by footsteps; she assumed that this was Carth.

Evidently, it was, because the next thing she heard was his voice. "So, uh… you like what you see?" Carth asked Nace cheekily, a grin wide on his face. He spread his arms outwards, away from his body, giving her a better view.

Turning around moodily, Nace stuttered, "No! Yes-" Seeing Carth's amused face caused her to stumble even further. "No! I uh -- maybe!" Noticing that Carth was using all of his will to keep from laughing set Nace over the edge. Thoroughly embarrassed, she stormed into the refresher, yelling, "I'm going to have a shower!"

Not quite finished his teasing, Carth shot back cheekily, "Can I have a look?"

"No!" Nace screamed. She then turned on the water and started singing to herself rather loudly, preventing Carth from putting in another word.

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_I own none of this, except for Nace._

_Note:_

_I hope you guys enjoy this... I certainly had a fun time writing it. ;)_


	8. Attack!

**Chapter Eight -- "Attack!"**

Nace stepped out of the shower, absentmindedly squeezing the excess water from her hair. Her eyes darted around unconsciously, settling on nothing in particular, until they saw her battle-worn image in the mirror. There were several burns on her upper torso, presumably from her fight the previous day; she hadn't even noticed them. She touched the darkened skin gingerly with one hand as she rummaged through her and Carth's possessions, looking for something to treat the burns. After she found the treatment, she carefully rubbed it onto her burns, wincing slightly at the tingles.

After treating her injuries, Nace searched the refresher briefly for her clothes, and found them quickly. She was thankful to have different, clean clothes; they were certainly a far cry from her dirty and stained clothes, which were littered with small holes made by Sith vibroblades-though, to be fair, she had gotten most of the stains out. She chose her clothes from a messy pile in the corner, and slipped into them. She chose navy blue pants, tucked into her beloved boots. On top, she wore a grey t-shirt, covered by a black, military style jacket. Unwilling to spend time on her wet hair, she threw it up into a ponytail, and left the room.

Nace was met with the satisfying smell of caffa upon entering the main room. She inhaled gratefully, and smiled with pleasure.

"I thought that I'd make some," Carth said, explaining the caffa. He was leaning against a wall, sipping the hot beverage.

Nace smiled. "Thanks," she said, and poured herself some. She leaned against a wall, and began sipping it contentedly. As she drank the hot drink, her mind wandered, and settled on the morning's previous events. Her face reddened slightly, and it occurred to her that she should probably apologize. "Carth?" she began.

Carth looked in her direction. "Yeah? What is it?"

"I'm, uh, I'm sorry for this morning. I -- I really didn't-"

But Carth wasn't listening anymore. His face had acquired a strange look as he leaned towards the door, evidently trying to hear something.

Though she should have been alarmed, Nace wasn't. "Hey -- I'm _trying_ to apologize here. If you-"

"Shh!" Carth whispered, putting his finger to his lips. He set down his caffa gently.

"_Excuse_ me? You-"

Carth's face blanched; he had obviously heard something that was not to his liking.

Finally, Nace decided to pay attention to the fact that something was up. "What is it?" she asked, setting down her caffa.

Carth walked briskly to his things, and began to rummage around. "Sith," he told her. "Get your sword."

Nace's eyes widened, and she began to look for her weapon. "How many?"

"I don't know," Carth replied, putting his blaster pistols in their holsters. "But there's more than one."

Nace swore and sheathed her short sword. "Were they searching the apartments?"

"Why else would they be here?"

Nace swore again and walked towards the door. "We have to get out of here."

Carth nodded, and rested his hands on his blasters. Nace grabbed the hilt of her sword, ready to take care of any Sith waiting for them outside. The two looked at each other, as if to confirm that the other was ready, and opened the door tentatively. As the door slid open, both Nace and Carth slowly stuck their heads out the door, and saw the Sith entering the apartment next to theirs. Nace looked at Carth, and, by some unspoken understanding, the two agreed to make a break for it.

They left the apartment together, trying to seem inconspicuous. Fate, however, had something different in mind.

"There's no one in here!"

Nace and Carth stopped instantly and looked at each other, mortified with the fact that they might be found. Their hands moved quickly to their weapons, prepared to kill and Sith who caused them trouble. In the tenant free apartment, a Sith droid's beeps and boops could be heard, obviously informing their leader of something.

"Fine. We'll go to the next one then."

Nace rushed to the nearest apartment and feverishly began to use her technological skills to unlock the door. Carth, who would have normally protested to breaking into someone's apartment, kept watch, ready to warn Nace if he saw the Sith. After a few rushed moments, the apartment door gave in and slid open, allowing the two soldiers to rush in.

Sadly, things could not be that easy. "Who are you? What are you doing in here? You can't just come barging into someone's home!" Nace and Carth jumped, startled. They searched the room, and found a angry looking woman, who was shrieking at them.

Unwilling to anger the woman further, Nace decided that being polite was their best bet. "We're sorry. We were just-" her eyes flicked towards Carth, "-investigating the area."

But the apology didn't help. "That's no excuse. You can't just go around barging into people's apartments because you're curious!" The woman paused for a second; she appeared to be contemplating something. "But at least you're more polite than that pig Holdan."

Curious, and completely forgetting the current situation, Nace asked, "Holdan? Who's that?"

"Just one of Davik's men who can't keep his hands to himself. But all he got for his trouble was a nasty scar from my vibroblade! Too bad I'm the one still paying the price."

Nace wondered who Davik was, but decided not to ask. The woman spoke of him as if everyone knew who he was, and Nace didn't want to draw attention to the fact that her and Carth were off-worlders. Instead, she asked, "What do you mean?"

The woman opened her mouth, but then closed it quickly. "I... I don't want to talk about it. I'm in enough trouble already. Besides, I don't know if I can trust you."

Curious, and feeling remorse for how much her and Carth had startled the poor woman, Nace decided that she wanted to help. What kind of person would she be if she didn't do her best to make the situation better? "You can trust us. Maybe we can help."

The woman thought about her answer for several moments; she was obviously conflicted. After a short while, she answered, "Well, I suppose you seem like an alright sort. When I cut Holdan it made him back off, but it also embarrassed him in front of his friends. Holdan's a spiteful little Hutt-slug. He went and put out a bounty on my head for what I did! That's why I'm hiding out here."

The story made sense -- most respectable humans wouldn't be caught dead living in a dump like the building they were currently residing in. Feeling compelled to help, Nace asked, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

The woman shook her head. "I doubt it. Holdan is one of Davik's men. When you work for the local crime lord the authorities tend to turn a blind eye. I'm afraid this is between me and Holdan now."

"Maybe we could speak to Holdan for you."

"You could try, I guess," the woman in hiding looked doubtful. "He usually hangs out at the cantina in the lower city. It probably won't do any good. Holdan's used to getting his own way. That's one of the fringe benefits of being a goon for Davik. Working for the local crime lord lets you get away with things. Still, I appreciate the offer."

Nace smiled. "You're welcome." She turned to leave, but a stray thought crossed her mind. "What's your name?"

The woman thought for a second, obviously contemplating if she should reveal her name or not. "Dia. My name's Dia."

Nace took Dia's hand and shook it. "My name's Nace, and over here," she jerked her head in his direction, "is Carth."

"Nice to meet the both of you. Goodbye, and good luck. I hope you can talk some sense into Holdan."

Nace smiled again, then waved her goodbyes. Carth jerked his hand in a friendly salutation, and opened the door, allowing the two of them to leave. However, the two had forgotten one crucial, incredibly important detail: the Sith were still outside.

The scene Nace and Carth were met with outside was not a pleasant one. An angry looking Sith soldier stood in the hallway, holding a blaster rifle which swung back and forth rythmically in his hand. Two well-built, expensive-looking combat droids were pointing their blaster rifles at two Duros, who were being forced to back against a hallway wall.

"Okay you alien scum, everybody get up against the wall! This is a raid!" the Sith soldier yelled. Nace was surprised that he managed to put such a large amount of hate and rage into two short sentences.

One of the Duros spoke in its own language, which made Nace confident in the fact that she was the only human in the area who could understand him. /There was a patrol here just yesterday, and they found nothing! Why do you Sith keep bothering us?\

The soldier said nothing, but simply shot the alien three times in the chest, killing him quickly. He looked at the other Duros, and pointed to the dead one with his rifle. "That's how we Sith deal with smart-mouth aliens! Now everybody get up against the wall before I lose my temper again!" He looked around him, as if to make sure that everybody was following his orders, but the next thing he saw obviously surprised him. When he saw Nace and Carth standing in the middle of the hallway, his eyes widened. "What's this? Humans hiding out with aliens?" Suddenly, the realization dawned on him. "They're Republic fugitives! Attack!"

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_You guys _have_ to know it by now: Nace is the only thing I own in this story._

_Note:_

_Ooh! The Sith. Finally, things get interesting. ;)_

_This chapter goes out to:_

_Katie McQuaid, Ed, and Katie McKenna for sharing (thanks guys); Katie McQuaid (again), Ceilidh, Katie Thompson and Sarah for listening (geez, I was being such an emo kid); and finally, to Jordan, who stole some pizza for me._


	9. A doctor's secrets

**Chapter Nine -- A doctor's secrets.**

Instantly and reflexively, Carth and Nace ran for cover, shielding themselves from the blaster fire in a nearby door depression. Once hidden effectively from enemy fire, Carth pulled out his pistols and began to return fire, but he couldn't get a clear shot.

After narrowly escaping being hit, Carth desperately looked at Nace's holster, only to find it empty. "Where's your pistol?" he asked her loudly, attempting to be heard over the loud _pichew pichew_ of the blaster fire.

"I didn't have time to grab it!" Nace replied loudly back, defending herself. "Besides, I can't even hit a rancor with a blaster; there's a reason why I use blades!"

Carth cursed, briefly returned fire, then turned quickly back to Nace. "I can try to give you some cover fire, but I doubt it'll do much; there's too many of them."

Nace unsheathed her sword, and, looking very dangerous and determined, said, "I don't need cover fire." With that, she abandoned the two's make-shift shield and ran towards their attackers with her blade held high.

Afraid for her safety and perhaps her life, Carth watched her as effectively as he could from his position. As he watched, he observed her falling back on the same strategy that she had used the day before: zigzagging back and forth as to avoid being hit by blaster fire. Carth didn't blame her; it was an effective tactic. As he watched her, he noticed her heading for the human Sith, obviously intent on driving her sword right through him.

With his mind racing with worry, Carth found it difficult to force himself to concentrate on his shooting. He allowed himself to close his eyes for a few moments to collect himself, then exhaled slowly. He could do this; he was an excellent shot. Allowing the unconscious talent to surface, he quickly darted out from his hiding place and shot at the Sith combat droids with deadly accuracy. He hit the first of the two droids one, two, three times, causing it to stumble backwards, then fall to the ground, housing a small flame.

Carth quickly sought cover again, and not a moment too soon; the last droid had shot a barrage of blaster bolts in his direction. The combat droid paused, and waited patiently for Carth to come out; Carth used this to his advantage. Quickly, Carth darted out and, using both pistols, shot four blaster bolts at the droid, two missing the mark in his haste. Luckily, the Sith droid still went down, convulsing as several stray electrical currents coursed through it.

Meanwhile, Nace was busy with her own battles. She moved towards her enemies in a broken pattern, back and forth in the hallway, trying not to remain in one place for too long. As she progressed closer and closer to the human Sith, he shot more and more frequently, aiming to kill. Thankfully, in his blind desperation, he was a bad shot.

Nace ran right up to the Sith soldier, her short sword raised high. Just as she was about to strike down and lop off his head, however, the Sith met her blade with his with such an angry force that sparks flew. Surprised, but refusing to let her guard down, Nace pushed back, then unexpectedly swung her sword around to slice the opposing soldier in the side. The Sith had more talent then she expected, however, because he deflected the blow quickly. Nace pulled back swiftly and so did her opponent, both holding their weapons defensively and at the ready.

The Sith soldier attacked first, striking with such staggering force that Nace had difficulty successfully deflecting his blows. He attached relentlessly, giving Nace no chance to counter and attack on her own. It was forceful blow after forceful blow, and Nace was finding it difficult to keep her blocks up. In her exhaustion, she dropped her guard for just a moment; that was when the soldier struck.

Luckily, Nace's opponent's only strength was just that, his strength; and so, because of his inaccuracy, his blow, which was obviously intended for her side/gut area, sliced open her thigh, exposing a great amount of blood. Nace winced and staggered slightly, but she prevented herself from falling too much. The Sith soldier smirked happily in triumph; this was his mistake. With his guard down, Nace struck at his hip, slicing him deeply. The opposing soldier's hand flew to his side in pain and he cried out, then fell onto both knees. Chest heaving, Nace raised her short sword high and cut her opponent's head clean off; the head fell to the ground with a soft thud and rolled in a small, spiral-like shape.

"Nace!" Carth cried worriedly, holstering his blaster pistols and approaching the woman. "Are you okay? I, I couldn't shoot -- I might have hit you -- I'm-"

"I'm fine," Nace replied, sheathing her short sword. The action caused her to wince; movement obviously hurt her leg. "I -- I just got cut a little."

Carth eyed the wound reproachfully. "I think that's more than a little," he told her. "Look, I know this doctor-"

"Poor Ixgil." Both Carth and Nace looked in the direction of the voice, and saw the remaining Duros looking at his dead friend. Sensing their eyes upon him, the alien looked in the Republic soldiers' direction sadly. "He should have never talked back to that Sith. Thankfully you here to step in and help us, humans," the Duros sighed, and looked back at his fallen friend. "This isn't the first time the Sith have come in here to cause trouble for us, but hopefully it will be the last."

Carth looked at the Sith bodies with a grimace, then looked up at the Duros. "Won't someone come searching for this patrol?"

"Don't worry about the bodies. I will move them so it looks like they were killed elsewhere. That should throw the Sith off the track.

With any luck, they won't be bothering us again for a while." With that, the Duros turned sadly back to his friend, looking at him mournfully.

Carth turned back to his companion and put his hand on her arm gently. "Nace, we need to get you to a doctor, or at least, some medical supplies."

Nace, noticing the vast amount of blood leaving her leg, put her hand on the wound and attempted to apply pressure. "Don't you have anything left over?" she asked, referring to the medical supplies that Carth used to save her life.

Carth, catching her drift, shook his head. "Look, I know someone; he's a good doctor, and a good man. And I heard a rumor-" he looked around cautiously, then continued, whispering, "-I heard a rumor that he's taking in some dying Republic soldiers."

Nace, grimacing, replied, "Alright, let's go."

Carth nodded, looking grim at Nace's obvious discomfort. "Before we do, let me get you something to wrap up your leg."

Nace nodded, then slumped to the floor, wary to put any more weight than she needed to on her leg. Breathing heavily, she looked around, at the scene about her. Two non-functioning combat droids lay on the ground, with a headless Sith soldier in between the both of them. Blood seeped from the dead human's neck, staining the floor beneath him in red; much like Nace's leg, though she was very much alive.

Hearing the quick _clack clack_ of someone's boots, Nace looked up to see a hurried Carth carrying a large rag. He said nothing, but simply knelt down beside her, holding the rag at the ready. Nace obligingly removed her hand, and allowed him to wrap the bleeding wound. Once they had at least stemmed the bleeding, Carth helped Nace up, and the two proceeded to the office of Zelka Forn, leaving the motionless Sith bodies behind.

* * *

Nace winced and inhaled quickly; the treatment Zelka was using stung her leg.

"I know it stings, but trust me, it'll make you feel better," the doctor assured Nace, then set aside some medical products. "You'll need these for treatment, otherwise that cut could get infected."

Both Carth and Nace nodded, and Nace put her pants back on; stained and cut as the clothing was. The two looked at each other, each one wondering whether the rumors about Zelka were true.

"Dr. Forn?" Carth asked the doctor. "Do you know anything about the Republic escape pods that crashed in the Undercity?"

Zelka stopped his activities suddenly, and responded slowly. "Republic escape pods? Uh... No... Why would you ask me that? I don't know. Those pods crashed in the Undercity. I'm not involved in any way!"

His reaction just about confirmed the question for the two Republic soldiers. "You seem awfully defensive about this," Nace observed.

"I'm not defensive!" Zelka replied feverishly. "I just don't like being accused of knowing something about those Republic pods. This is as bad as an interrogation by the Sith!"

"Hey-" Carth started angrily; he didn't like the implication.

"Don't worry, we're not with the Sith," Nace interrupted Carth's potential outbreak. "We won't betray your secret if you tell us."

"Well," Zelka started uncomfortably. "You don't look like you're with the Sith. I guess... I guess I can tell you my secret. Or rather, I can show you."

The doctor beckoned the two towards him and lead them to a back room. Sensing their presence, the door slid open obligingly, revealing a medical room full of bacta tanks. Most of the tanks were occupied with unconscious, floating humans, and, to Carth and Nace's surprise, each was wearing a standard Republic uniform. Nace inhaled quickly, making a loud gasp. Though she had been expecting it, she had not imagined this many casualties...

"Since the space battle overhead, people have been secretly bringing in these Republic soldiers who crash landed on the planet. I had to take them in. What choice did I have? Their injuries are terrible, most won't survive. But at least I can make their last days more comfortable. And at least here they are hidden away from the Sith."

"Well, for that you have my thanks," Carth said, full of gratitude. "It's good to know that at least some of these men ended up in compassionate hands."

Zelka's face broke into a smile. "I hate to imagine what the Sith would do if they discovered these soldiers here. But since their initial questioning the Sith have not returned, so it may be my fears are unfounded," he continued.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Carth asked.

"I'm afraid there's nothing more anyone can do for these soldiers. Now, if you'll excuse me I should return to the front in case anyone comes in needing medical attention."

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_I don't own this story or its characters, just Nace._


	10. Look here, Flyboy

**Chapter Ten -- "Look here, Flyboy..."**

Carth and Nace sat together on a bench, deciding to enjoy the warmth of Taris' sun. Though some other Tarisians were enjoying the weather as well, not many sat in the designated rest stop; most were bustling about the streets, busy with their own affairs. The two Republic soldiers, however, wanted to give themselves a short break before resuming their search for the Jedi Knight, Bastila.

While the two were enjoying a companionable silence, Nace's thoughts fell on the conversation that she and Carth had had in the cantina, and how brusquely Carth had blown off her questions. Curious about his past, and feeling slightly challenged, Nace decided to ask some more questions.

"Hey, Carth?"

Carth turned to face Nace, looking accommodating. "Yes? What's on your mind?"

"Is this a good time to ask you some more questions?" Nace asked, biting her lip slightly. She didn't want Carth to react badly again.

Carth, who was in a particularly good mood, replied, "I'm all ears, Beautiful."

Nace's eyebrows rose a little, surprised at this new development, but not disappointed. "I like the sound of that."

"Which? The fact that I'm all ears or the 'Beautiful' part?"

"The 'Beautiful' part. Keep calling me that," Nace responded, all smiles.

Carth chuckled. "I might consider it. What are you going to call me, in exchange?"

"How about 'handsome thug'?"

Carth's grin widened. "I like the first part of that. I'm a bit more partial to 'the most handsome pilot in the galaxy'. What do you think?"

"I'll think about it."

"Well, then, I guess 'gorgeous' will have to do until then, won't it?" Carth teased, laughing. "Kidding aside, I bet you're not about to give up on those questions of yours. Are they really necessary?"

Nace stopped herself from wincing; she knew that an assault was about to come from the high-tempered soldier. "I just would like to know you better."

"Oh, well, if it's an interrogation you wanted, why didn't you say so?" Carth asked moodily. He was obviously unsatisfied with her answer.

Nace's eyes narrowed. "Are you getting testy again?"

"I don't get testy. I get angry. And if I was angry, you wouldn't have to ask me if I was, let me assure you." Carth told Nace angrily.

Nace's mouth opened, a retort lying on the tip of her tongue that was of an equal taste. She did not appreciate his anger or his shortness towards her, considering the fact that she had been very tactful about the issue. Carth, who evidently saw these facts plain on her face, spoke quickly.

"Let me ask you something first, though. I've been going through the battle aboard the Endar Spire over and over in my head since we crashed." Carth, too, had been thinking during their silent enjoyment of Taris, and none of it was positive. "Some things just don't add up for me. Maybe you could tell me what happened, from your perspective."

Nace, unsure of where Carth was going with this, responded slowly with, "I wasn't in a position to know what was going on, really."

"Neither was I, to tell the truth. I was onboard as an advisor for the most part. The battle began so fast, it's anyone's guess as to what actually happened." Carth's voice grew louder and angrier as he progressed. It was obviously a sore subject with him. "We lost the ship and a lot of good people... And for what? On the hope that Jedi powers would save us, somehow. Not that Bastila had much of an opportunity to act. We didn't choose that battle anyway. It got forced on us. Hell, I'm just as surprised that any of us are alive to talk about it." Carth, who hadn't been facing Nace's direction, suddenly swung his head towards her confrontationally. "Come to think of it, it's more than a little surprising that you happen to be here, isn't it? Just what is your position with the Republic fleet, anyway?"

"Why? Are you accusing me of something?" Nace asked after crossing her arms, not liking where their conversation was going, or the look that the soldier was giving her.

One of Carth's eyebrows rose slightly. "Not at all. I just think it's a bit odd that someone who got added to the crew roster at the last minute just happens to be one of the survivors."

Offended, Nace asked him, "You'd rather I wasn't?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You've more than proved yourself since the crash... We wouldn't have made it this far without you. But still..."

Nace, pointed towards her chest indignantly. "Are you implying that _I_ had something to do with the crash?" She was astonished and greatly offended that his mind would even stray to the subject.

"No. Well... Maybe. Don't get me wrong, it just seems off that someone Bastila's party specifically transferred aboard just happened to survive."

Nace found herself surprised at the fact that a Jedi, of all people, had specifically requested her, with good reason of course. It wasn't as if she had any outstanding or rare skills, other than her fluency in alien languages. Forgetting her anger for a moment, she asked, "Why would Bastila request my transfer?"

"The Jedi requested numerous things when they came on board... Hell, they practically took over the ship, as far as I could tell," Carth answered amicably, at least compared to his previous accusatory tones. Realizing that he was being derailed, Carth continued on his previous train of thought. "Considering your connection to Bastila and the Jedi... Whether you know it or not... Your presence here seems a little convenient," the man said. He stopped thoughtfully for a few moments, then said, "I'm probably wrong and this is probably nothing, I know. I learned a long time ago not to take things at face value, however. And I _hate_ surprises."

By now, Nace's anger was boiling over. _I can't believe that this... this sexless marsh toad is accusing me of treason!_, the petite woman thought angrily. "Shouldn't we be trying to work together?" she cut in, thoroughly pissed off.

"I am working with you. I'd be a fool not to. I'd also be a fool not to expect the unexpected." Carth answered matter-of-factly.

Nace got up from the bench, so angry that she could hit the man. "Are you always this suspicious?" she asked Carth.

Carth, seeing her anger, backed down a little. "Look... It has nothing to do with you, personally. I don't trust anyone, and I have my reasons." Seeing Nace's open mouth and anticipating what was going to come out of it, Carth continued. "And no, I'm not going to discuss them. So can we just keep our mind on more important things?"

"I consider this important," Nace yelled, emphasizing her point by pointing towards the ground forcefully.

Carth raised his hands above his head in surrender. "Alright, alright. You must be the most damned persistent woman I've ever met! We'll talk about it..." Carth started, and, seeing that Nace was about to interject, continued quickly, "But later. Right now I just want to get going."

And with that last statement, Carth got up before Nace could continue the argument. He began to walk quickly in the direction of their apartment building, intend on avoiding the situation. Nace, however, had different plans; noticing where the soldier was headed, asked forcefully, "_Where_ are you going?" She wasn't done with him yet.

"Back to the apartments. You're in-"

"No," Nace answered forcefully and concisely, crossing her arms.

Surprised at such rage the small woman could put in such a small statement, Carth turned back to face Nace, and saw one of the angriest looking women he had ever seen. Nace stood with her arms crossed, looking very adamant and very dangerous, and her rock-hard stare was pointing directly at Carth. Afraid of what she might do to him, Carth tried to reason with the angry recruit.

"Nace, with your leg-"

"We're not going to find that Force damned super Jedi without actually looking for her, now are we?" Carth opened his mouth, but Nace didn't let the man speak. "No, we're not! Now, look: I'm going down to the Lower City whether you like it or not, and I'm going _now_."

And, with that, Nace walked away from the man quickly, emphasizing her steps with forceful stomps. Before long, however, her angry pace began to hurt her leg, but she ignored it and just kept on walking; because of this, she quickly developed a limp.

Carth, not wanting her to slip away, and despite her anger at him, followed Nace. "Nace, wait!"

Nace stopped and turned around sharply, her hands on her hips. "_What_?"

Instinctively, Carth raised his hands in defense. "Look, Beautiful --" he began, trying to douse her anger.

"Beautiful? _Beautiful?_ Look here, _Flyboy_, I'm not --"

"What is thish planet coming to, huh? Shlummies just walkin' around the Upper City!" Looking to the cause of their interruption, Carth and Nace found four drunks, stumbling their way around the Tarisian rest area. The first drunk, who the two assumed was the one who spoke, asked, "Shouldn't you go back to the Lower Cities where you belong shlummies?"

Nace rolled her eyes. "Well, this is rich."

The second drunk decided to interject his opinion. "Yeah, like he said, these shtreets are for the Upper City citizens! You better get out of the way if you know what's good for you!"

"Hey guys," Carth told them, before they started anything. He didn't want to cause a scene. "We can all be friends here. Let me buy you a drink," he assured them, taking a gamble and assuming that they were too drunk to realize that they weren't in a bar.

The first drunk blinked stupidly for a few moments, then exclaimed excitedly, "A drink? Hey -- for a shlummie you ain't so bad! Come on boys -- this shlummie's buying the next round!"

"No way!" the second drunk said, pushing the first to make his point. "Forget it! No more drinksh! We're late enough as it is."

The first drunk blinked again, then said, "Uh yeah. I guess you're right," then the drunk pushed Carth friendly-like, and said, "Maybe next time shlummie. Come on fellas, let's go," the drunk finished, looking to his friends. The other three drunk Tarisians nodded, and left the rest area, stumbling the entire way.

* * *

_Disclaimer:_

_If you don't know by now, you're not very observant. I only own Nace._

_Note:_

_Oh, bad move, Carth-man. :P_


End file.
